


Out Of A Million Stars You Shine The Brightest

by imjusttheoutgoingsidekick



Series: Modern Newsies Au [4]
Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Pining, The Sprace bit in this is adorable, they are a PDA couple for valentines and you can pry that out of my cold dead hands, valentines day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-01
Updated: 2018-06-01
Packaged: 2019-05-16 18:12:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14816333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imjusttheoutgoingsidekick/pseuds/imjusttheoutgoingsidekick
Summary: Jack Kelly is a pining bastard.





	Out Of A Million Stars You Shine The Brightest

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you like this, because honestly it's just a projection of how gay I am.
> 
> [timestamp; they are all in 11th grade, and Jack and Katherine won't be getting together for another year.]

Jack Kelly woke up to the smell of pancakes and bacon, and he groaned. Normally he was excited to see (well smell really) that Medda had cooked everyone breakfast, because it meant the day was some sort of special occasion. But Jack knew it wasn't his birthday, and it wasn't any of his siblings' either, and it wasn't Christmas or the first or last day of school. That left only one explanation.

Today must be Valentines day.

Jack sighed heavily and reached under his pillow for his phone. The date just below the time verified that it was indeed February 14th. He clicked the screen off and sat up in bed. Jack's head banged into the ceiling and he winced, thinking that already the day was off to a bad start.

Once Jack got to school he realised the day wasn't going to get much better. He had first period with Spot and Race, which usually meant having to watch them make out until the teacher arrived. Today was even worse. Race was perched in his boyfriend's lap holding a box if chocolates that were obviously from Spot. They were swapping kisses and whispers and occasionally laughing at some inside joke between them, and it was utterly disgusting.

Don't get Jack wrong, he was happy for the two, who had finally figured their shit out last year. It had come after three years of Jack being kept up at night talking with Spot about whatever he and Race had done that day. Jack knew that his brother was in love with his best friend, but he didn't dare to bring it up seeing as he wasn't sure in what Spot's past was. So he sat there and listened to Spot gush about how smart and talented Race was, all the while knowing that the two were meant for each other.

Jack was saved from extensive exposure to PDA when the teacher walked in five minutes earlier than normal. "Mr. Higgins, I suggest you remove yourself from Sean before I count you absent."

Race blushed and skittered back to his seat, stealing one last kiss before he went.

Jack pulled out his notebook and flipped to a clean page. His pencil moved almost automatically as he zoned out and mindlessly sketched whatever scene was forming in his head.

A few minutes later he finally realised what he was drawing. He had seen it coming really, and wasn't all that surprised to see a picture depicting his best friend.  
It was a scene from the previous fall, when Katherine had gotten accepted onto an elite debate team. She had immediately rushed to tell Jack and afterwards they went out for ice cream. It was the perfect fall day, brightly coloured leaves were scattered across the ground and hay bales were set up as seating outside The Parlour, a favourite local ice cream shop. But the hay bales weren't really the focus if this picture, rather the bare tree that stood behind then.

Katherine had found a low hanging branch and couldn't resist climbing up. The picture showed her standing up on a branch around ten feet off the ground. Stretching forward with one hand steady on the branch above, she leaned into the sunlight. Her eyes were closed and her face was peaceful, and she was immensely beautiful.

Jack sighed to himself. Having a crush on his best friend since kindergarten was a tough and taxing occurrence.He could stare at her for hours and he had. He memorised every curve and edge she had, and every minute detail of her face. He closed his eyes and saw her. She plastered forever in his brain.

Her auburn hair, the colour of leaves in the fall. The sun would fall across it and it would light up like fire. Her eyes were a beautiful hazel colour. Green and brown swirled together like a storm over the ocean, and golden fleck were scattered throughout.

The day dragged on as Jack was surrounded by young love. The lunchroom was decorated with pink and white streamers and red heart shaped sequins were strewn across the tables and floor.

Couples were everywhere, holding hands in the hall, making out against the lockers, the list went on and on. Jack had lunch block with Elmer, Specs, Race, David, and of course Katherine.

He sat down across from her as he always did, and waited until she finished what she was reading before striking up a conversation.  
"Heya Kathy, how's your corporate love feat day going so far?"

Katherine laughed in response, a pure sound that Jack loved to hear. "It's going pretty well actually," she flashed him her signature smile. "Sarah and I got to set up these decorations instead of going to first period."

Jack eyed her sceptically, "miss high and mighty perfect attendance skipping a class?" He grinned and stole a strawberry from her plate.

They dissolved into giggles. Jack liked these interactions, the easy ones with Katherine. They had known each other for so long now that they were almost the same person. That's why Jack could never admit his feelings. They had been best friends for twelve years and were basically siblings now. Telling Katherine he liked her would ruin their whole friendship. So here he was, doing his best to ignore the butterflies whenever she smiled, and the burning feeling in his chest every time they touched.

God, Jack had it bad.


End file.
